When the summer sun warms our decks and the cornflower sea stretches ahead of us until it collides with the snow-capped peaks of British Columbia's rocky mountains; when hummingbirds and bees feast on our fragrant lavenders and honeysuckle and a doe teaches her fawn to graze on the fruits of our garden; when the silence is only broken by barking sea lions, blowing orcas and the cries of gulls and eagles; and when our home is filled with the laughter of friends, it is easy to believe that we live in Paradise. But even Paradise can be a little crazy, and when we arrived home from Mexico in March we found ourselves in the midst of mayhem. Millions of herrings had laid billions of eggs on our beach and, for weeks, both sea and sky were whipped into a frenzy as a multitude fattened themselves on the bounty. Then the fishing fleet showed up... The cool damp spring finally warmed when we celebrated James' senior moment at the end of May...And after a shaky start summer finally turned on the heat. Crimson dawns burst into golden morns and the cloudless sky stretched into endless days as the hummingbirds hatched in their tiny nest...Oh those lazy days of summer! But not for James. In an effort to dispel any notion that his youth is slipping away he took out his hammer and knocked together a rustic bridge, a rocky ravine and a little cove complete with sunken rowboat tied to an ancient dock...

...together with a sunken Japanese garden with a waterfall and fountain...

But now it's mid-September and, while the midday sun still burns brightly, night's curtains are drawn ever earlier and somewhere just over the horizon lay the first of the winter's rains. The birds are flocking to migrate, the whales came by for a final wave, and it is time to pack our bags and head for sunnier climes. Two thousand five hundred years ago Confucius claimed that a journey of a thousand miles began with a single step, but as we head to the Island's ferry we wonder if he could possibly have imagined taking the initial step in a journey of more than thirty-three thousand miles - a journey of a hundred million steps. So where on earth are we headed? To the land of Confucius and beyond; from the western edge of the New World to the most easterly edge of the Old. But not for us a leisurely hop across the Pacific. We'e going the long way around and doing it the hard way. Come with us and we'll show the sights and introduce you to the folks we meet along the way.

That's one of the most beautiful house views I have ever seen. It must be lovely to wake up by the sea enchants. I do hope that you continue with your adventure trips and beautifully share your experience with us like you did in this post.

PamelaTorontosuites.com

by Pamela

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